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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Accident On Bypass


There has been a rollover accident on the west bound side of the Bypass. We're told the traffic is backed up for quite a ways.

WBOC HAS Drive-By Downloads On Site

Joe,

Just logged on to WBOC web site and my Norton Internet Security software shows that the site is unsafe and has DRIVE - BY Downloads on the site . The threat is HTTP SQL Injection Activity. Just wanted to let everyone know that the WBOC site may be unsafe and if people are not running some type of internet security software they may want to be care. Tonight is the first time I have seen this. Norton list the threat below.

Drive-by Downloads
A drive-by download is computer code that takes advantage of a software bug in a Web browser to make it do something that the attacker wants—such as run malicious code, crash the browser, or read data from the computer. Software bugs that are open to browser attacks are also known as vulnerabilities.


Hope this might save someone a problem.

Larry Murphy

WBOC Having Problems With Facts


Joe, on WBOC.com I found this story. It says a man was arrested in TN after an amber alert. For some reason the picture connected with this story is an older Hispanic woman. I read the story and I couldn't find anything that would connect her to the story. Another WBOC mistake?

Apparently they have fixed the mistake. We're all human.

INCUMBENTS BEWARE - PEOPLE ARE MOBILIZING TO ACTION

For one of the few times in my life - I believe that something significant is about to happen in the political arena. If there is a common denominator upon a politician being elevated to public office - it is their goal to try and get re-elected to another term in office. We saw this first hand with former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest whereby he went on record as being in favor of term limits - for everyone but himself. And he is not alone as there are hordes of career politicians.

But with special interest groups, corporate campaign contributors, industrial lobbyist, it gives an incumbent politician a distinct advantage to retain ones status - as long as the economic tide doesn't significantly shift.

And so here also lies the one 'chink in their armor' and that is - at this very moment in time the people have been empowered to identify their performance record - and then remove them for their inadequacies.

So I ask our readership the question - are you better off today than you were say one or two years ago? And more significantly - do you like the direction your elected officials seem to be taking you? With MSM coverage on topics like - Socialism, Depression, Recession, High Unemployment, Runaway Debt, ideologies like these tend to erode ones confidence in the status-quo.

Take heed incumbents as the fall election approaches. You know those town hall meetings that you failed to hold over the past three or four years - could very well lead to discourse among your constituency - the voters. Result - the public is very well justified in your being removed from office.

Only One Lane Open On Naylor Mill

Joe,

"Only one lane on Naylor Mill Rd. from Millpond to Bob Evans. Traffic trying to
get on Rt 13 is backed up darn near Vernon Powell! Red"

Avalanche

In light of all the recent snow storms - one might want to invest in one of these.
After hearing about all of the roofs that have collapsed - especially poultry - it might be a nice tool to have on-hand.

Hunters Having A Field Day With Snow Geese


Hunters are shooting so many of the Snow Geese, (which are in season) they're leaving many others in other fields after they shoot them.

I actually collected three of them yesterday in the field next to our home. This was one of them.

I'm told by local Farmers that the only meat on them that's any good is the breast meat. By their reaction, (look on their faces) it doesn't sound like they're even good eating.

So why shoot these beautiful birds if they're not that good to eat? Perhaps some of you enjoy the flavor, I don't know.

Missing Child Found In Tennessee

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) ―

"Maryland State Police canceled an Amber Alert for a missing child late Saturday night. They say she's been safely located.

Police issued an Amber Alert for 11-year-old Karina Elizabeth Garcia shortly before 9 p.m.

Detectives say she was last seen in Prince George's County, but the girl was found in Tennessee less than three hours later. She wasn't hurt.

There's no word on how she got there or whether there will be any arrests in the case. " (source WJZ)

Recognizing Those So Easily Forgotten



At this time of year while we're all bundled up staying warm, there are many very dedicated individuals easily forgotten.

There's been a lot of talk about those people out there plowing the snow but down at the Salisbury Zoo there are several dedicated individuals doing multiple things many of us forget about.

Do you know what it's like to be outdoors all day in these temperatures. Trying to keep exotic animals warm. Trying to handle cold keys. Defrosting pretty much every pad lock to each exhibit. Power washing certain exhibits. Running water so the animals have something to drink.

Then there's shoveling snow just about everywhere. Yeah, it's one thing for me to be out there clearing a sidewalk or driveway but let me assure you, its another to be at that Zoo working around the clock to care for these animals and clearing all the pathways and exhibits to access these animals.

Have you ever tried pushing a wheelbarrow around through the snow? While you'd never think of heading down to the Zoo this time of year, try to remember these Folks who are working outdoors trying to do a job very few people would be willing to do.

The Zoo may be closed to the public these past few days but one thing is for sure, the animals need to eat twice a day and someone has to deliver that food to them. My hat is tipped to all of them. Happy Vaneltine's Day to ALL of you working at the Salisbury Zoo.

Today's Survey Question

What's The Best Valentine's Gift You've Ever Received?

Merchants Can't Complain About The Downtown Plaza






Yesterday, after I had completed all of the projects scheduled for the day, I went to the Downtown Plaza and took the snow blower up one side and down the other to make sure there was a clear path for people to walk through. Mind you, there were a couple of areas so packed down I couldn't break through the ice but they're few and far between. For the most part, (90%) it is plenty clear now for shoppers and business people to safely get through. The City is busy enough trying to do catch up work.

Spring Hill Road


Spring Hill Road is still quite a mess, but passable. As you can see from the wall of snow to the left, the drifts that came through on this road was just unbelievable.


On Friday night they had cleared a path through on Spring Hill Road but it was only one lane and you want to talk about a mess! People were having to back up as far as 1/2 a mile because another vehicle was coming the other way.


I wasn't very happy with the Eagle Transport Company at the end of the road. You see, at one point, one of their drivers decided he was going to make a run through there and believe me, there just wasn't enough room on either side for a tractor trailer to get through. It stopped everyone and we all had to turn around and go another route.
The top photo shows what things looked like on Friday night. It looks like they've cleared things a bit wider but to date it just amazes me how people are riding through there with wide trailers and expecting everyone to move aside while these people pass through.

Rockawalkin Road Still Closed?

As of last evening, Rockawalking Road was still not open to Rt. 50.

True Confession



Yesterday I called Phronesis, (one of our Contributors) to fill him in on my day. Things got a little mixed up and I wanted to clarify it.

The above photos represent the property in Powellville I spoke of yesterday. I put out a request, if anyone was in that area, could they possibly help this Family out.

Considering I hadn't heard anything I thought I'd drive out there and clear out the property, just in case no one had shown up.

To my surprise, in the distance, I saw the above equipment working on a property and considering the houses are far apart out there, I couldn't tell if this was the property I was looking for, or not. So I drove by, waved to the gentleman in the Bobcat and continued to search for the property I was looking for.

It turns out, by the time I got to the next home I had clearly passed the property I was looking for, so I turned around. Yes, you guessed it, the property I was looking for was the one being cleared. My timing couldn't be better.

Folks, this gentleman is a Volunteer Fire Fighter from the Powellville Fire Department. No, he didn't see the request on Salisbury News. He was doing a Lifetime Member of the PFD across the street and saw this home had not been cleared, so he simply rode across the street and took it upon himself to just clear the way.

Once again, the Eastern Shore Firefighters come through without even asking! My hat is tipped to this fine Gentleman and while I didn't get his name, I'm confident someone will come on here and let us know who he is.

Just Stay

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

"Your son is here," she said to the old man.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.

Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent.. He reached out his hand. The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit beside the bed. All through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength. Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile.

He refused. Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital - the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients..

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.

"Who was that man?" he asked.

The nurse was startled, "He was your father," she answered.

"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life.."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

"I knew right away there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here.

When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I stayed."

I came here tonight to find a Mr. William Grey. His Son was Killed in Iraq today, and I was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman's Name?

The Nurse with Tears in Her Eyes Answered,

Mr. William Grey.............

The next time someone needs you ........ just be there. Stay.

My Valentine

Caption This Photo


Worth Repeating

A GAME PLAN



Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British Airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape...

Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter.

Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush.

Someone in MI-5 (similar to America 's OSS ) got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise whatsoever.

At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington, Ltd. When approached by the government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.

By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game, Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into 'CARE packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war.

Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps were regional system). When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece.

As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!

British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set -- by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square.

Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets.. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another, future war.

The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony.

I realize most of you are (probably) too young to have any personal connection to WWII (Dec. '41 to Aug. '45), but this is still interesting.

Story Verification: http://blogs.wsj.com/informedreader/2007/11/19/wwii-pows-perk-monopoly-with-real-money/

Blue Angels


This is in HD with music -- be sure to watch it in full screen -- (arrows at bottom right of screen)

Economic Stimulus

Sometime this year, we taxpayers will again receive another 'Economic Stimulus' payment.

This is indeed a very exciting program, and I'll explain it by using a Q & A format:

Q. What is an 'Economic Stimulus' payment ?

A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q.. Where will the government get this money ?

A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money ?

A. Only a smidgen of it.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment ?

A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China ?

A. Shut up..

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the U.S. economy by
spending your stimulus check wisely:

* If you spend the stimulus money at Wal-Mart, the money will go to China or Sri Lanka .

* If you spend it on gasoline, your money will go to the Arabs.

* If you purchase a computer, it will go to India , Taiwan or China .

* If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala ..

* If you buy an efficient car, it will go to Japan or Korea .

* If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan .

* If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.

Instead, keep the money in America by:

1) Spending it at yard sales, or

2) Going to ball games, or

3) Spending it on prostitutes, or

4) Beer or

5) Tattoos.

(These are the only American businesses still operating in the U.S.)

Conclusion:

Go to a ball game with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a yard sale and drink beer all day !

No need to thank me, I'm just glad I could be of help

No More Panda's In The United States????

Peevish China recalls panda Tai Shan due to Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama

When China requested the return of a giant panda from the National Zoo in Washington, it was thought this was because the pandas back home were not producing enough babies.

But the departure of Tai Shan last week now seems to signify an end to the era of “panda diplomacy” — which dates back to 1972 after President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China.

President Barack Obama’s decision to meet the Dalai Lama this week has infuriated the Chinese at a time when the US desperately wants their support for sanctions against Iran and its nuclear programme. The Chinese government called on Obama to cancel the meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader, which comes as relations between the world’s first and third-biggest economies have deteriorated sharply.

Ma Zhaoxu, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, said there had been “stern” exchanges with the US on the matter.

GO HERE to read more.

Maryland Legislation Requires State Approval To Buy Or Rent A Firearm


The gun grabbers are at it again in Maryland. Next month, the state's House Judiciary Committee will initiate hearings on legislation forcing firearms enthusiasts to register with the state government before they can exercise their Second Amendment rights.

The plan, drafted by Delegate Samuel I. Rosenberg, Baltimore Democrat, and Sen. Brian E. Frosh, Montgomery County Democrat, would mandate that citizens carry a special license while conducting any number of routine transactions involving a gun.

To obtain a gun license, a person must fill out a long application form, attend a comprehensive firearms safety course, pay a nonrefundable fee to the state and wait 30 days for the completion of a criminal background check. If all items are processed properly, the Maryland State Police would drop the license in the mail.

It would become a crime to go to a gun range and rent a firearm for a little target shooting without this license in hand. Out-of-state visitors who might want to keep up their skills while on vacation would be out of luck under the proposal because they would not even be allowed to apply for a state gun license.

More

Windows Patch Cripples XP With Blue Screen, Users Claim

Tuesday's security updates from Microsoft have crippled Windows XP PCs with the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), users have reported on the company's support forum.

Complaints began early yesterday, and gained momentum throughout the day.

"I updated 11 Windows XP updates today and restarted my PC like it asked me to," said a user identified as "tansenroy" who kicked off a growing support thread. "From then on, Windows cannot restart again! It is stopping at the blue screen with the following message: 'A problem has been detected and Windows has been shutdown to prevent damage to your computer.'"

Others joined in with similar reports. "There is something seriously wrong with the update. I can't even open in safe mode," said "Ghellow," referring to Windows diagnostic mode that's often a last-chance way to boot a PC.

"I am not very happy with Microsoft as I got to work this morning to find my helpdesk flooded with messages that the PC has the famous Blue Screen," said "brawfab."

"I had to go to work and use my Mac to get online to find out what is going on with the XP updates last night," complained "moosewalk" on the same thread. "I am this much closer to switching over to a Mac for good."

Several users posted solutions, but the one laid out by "maxyimus" was marked by a Microsoft support engineer as the way out of the perpetual blue screens. To regain control of their PCs, users were told to boot from their Windows XP installation disc, launch the Recovery Console and enter a series of commands.

Unfortunately, that left netbook users out of luck, since most of the lightweight, inexpensive laptops lack an optical drive, and so can't boot from an XP installation disc. "Are there any fixes for netbooks, or am I essentially screwed for the time being?" asked "HimDen."

Several users tentatively identified the MS10-015 update as the one which triggered the BSOD, and claimed that uninstalling that security fix -- which was labeled as KB977165 -- returned their PC to working condition.MS10-015, one of 13 security updates Microsoft issued Tuesday, patched a 17-year-old kernel bug in all 32-bit versions of Windows.

Here's more

Report Sees More Jobless, Blames Bush


The White House on Thursday provided a bleak economic forecast in an annual report to Congress, predicting high unemployment even as companies stop shedding jobs and blaming the Bush administration for steep federal deficits and for the policies that led to the financial market collapse.

The administration's Council of Economic Advisers said the economy will grow by 3 percent but that the unemployment rate could climb back above the current 9.7 percent rate, reaffirming the somber outlook that accompanied President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget.

In a letter attached to the 462-page report, Mr. Obama touted his efforts to counter the recession, saying last year's stimulus package helped the nation avert an economic catastrophe, and he called for Congress to act on his proposals for a jobs spending bill and an overhaul of the financial regulatory system.

Republicans were quick to criticize the report, which they said contained little substance.

"The Obama administration's report is full of blame for the policies of the past, praise for its own failed policies, and promises about their ideological agenda to grow government. Cutting beyond the fluff, the truth that unemployment won't fall back to its 2008 level for another seven years shows up on page 75," House Republican Whip Eric Cantor said.

More from the Washington Times



Click on the links for today's lineup. Share with someone you love.



Popeye and Olive Oyl are finally getting married! Olive dreams, and...




L'autre Temps (Other Times) (2001)
It is always hard to write a love letter.





Today's Shorts

Musical short with Carolyn Marsh and Ray Bloch and His Orchestra.




Betty's not that kind of girl. Jimmie's not that kind of guy. And all the kids just want to have fun.


One Step Beyond: The Dream (1959)
A husband dreams of his wife's peril and she dreams of his impending doom.



Our Double Feature



Young lawyer meets and marries girl after knowing her one day. Takes bride home to meet his mother who disapproves of the marriage. Lawyer thinks everything will be fine as he moves up the ladder of the law firm. He doesn't and things get tough. A baby makes things even tougher. (Jack Pfeifer)





The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) Starring Lon Chaney
In fifteenth century Paris, Jehan, the evil brother of the archdeacon, plots with the gypsy king to foment a peasant revolt, which eventually leads to the peasants storming the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Meanwhile, Jehan's slave, a freakish hunchback named Quasimodo, falls in love with the young gypsy queen, Esmeralda, who in turn is in love with Phoebus, a gentleman soldier and a rogue with the ladies. Phoebus's gallant side is awakened by the beautiful peasant girl, and he soon returns her love. Unknown to him, his love is dangerous; Jehan lusts for Esmeralda and is willing to kill the handsome soldier to possess her. But the hunchback will tolerate no harm coming to her, even if it comes from his own master. ( J. Spurlin)

CIA Opens Files On Project to Raise Soviet Sub


The CIA for the first time has revealed details about an ultra-secret Cold War-era project to raise a sunken Soviet submarine from the depths of the Pacific Ocean in 1974.

The high-risk salvage operation, code-named "Project Azorian," had been shrouded in secrecy for decades but the spy agency broke its silence in newly declassified documents published Friday by an independent watchdog, the National Security Archive.

The documents, drawn from a 50-page article written for an in-house CIA journal, recount the daring bid approved by then-President Richard Nixon to raise the submarine using a specially designed ship, the Glomar Explorer.

Newspaper articles in 1975 first uncovered the operation but the Central Intelligence Agency initially refused to confirm its existence and had declined requests for information even after the Cold War ended.

"They've been holding on to it for years," John Prados, an author and analyst at the National Security Archive, told AFP.

"The release of this article greatly advances our knowledge of Project Azorian."

The episode began after a Soviet Golf-II submarine, the K-129, sank in 1968 in an accident 1,560 miles northwest of Hawaii, the cause of which remains unclear.

The Soviet sub, which was carrying three ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads, offered a potential boon to U.S. intelligence agencies if it could be lifted out off the ocean floor and examined.

[ Editor's note-- In 2005, the investigative book "Red Star Rogue—The Untold Story of a Soviet Submarine's Nuclear Strike Attempt on the U.S." claimed that K-129's captain ventured much further south than its scheduled patrol route, to an area some 300 nautical miles (560 km) north west of Oahu on 7 March 1968, positioning to launch one of her three ballistic missiles in a rogue attack on Pearl Harbor. The manner of the launch was purportedly designed to mimic an attack by a Chinese submarine, with the intention of igniting a war between the U.S. and China.

Red Star Rogue posits that the sinking of K-129 was caused by the explosion of one of the ballistic missiles while it was being readied for launch. It goes on to discuss the insertion of a small secret fail safe circuit that would destroy the warhead in the event of an unauthorized launch by a rogue crew member. John Craven's The Silent War: The Cold War Battle Beneath the Sea (p. 218) supports a similar conclusion. ]

Here's more

Rock & Roll Revival

Joe,

I feel I have to write you and tell you about the fantastic evening I just spent watching the J.M. Bennett Rock & Roll Revival at Wi Hi. WOW what an amazing amazing amazing show. The talent we have on the Eastern Shore is just above any I have ever seen.

I encourage you to try and get tickets for you to see for yourself. When we have so much said about bad children then I watch this show with all the young talented children it gives me hope for our future. Again wow and I really hope you treat yourself to see this.

Kim

Waller Landing


I understand that the Circuit Court has ruled in favor of those who appealed the Waller Landing mega-project in Hebron!

Hebron just can't seem to get basic things done correctly and according to the law!!!!